News of a solar storm and the possibility of seeing the aurora borealis in Downeast Maine had me antsy. Last night, I slept through it. This evening, I stumbled across the Space Weather Prediction Center’s 30-minute forecast, which predicted the possibility of seeing the Northern Lights around 10 p.m.; it was already 9:30.

I asked Hannah if she wanted to go. She deflected– she was tired, in her jammies, and had a cat on her lap. Then, finally, she agreed that if I wanted to go, she’d come with me. Yay! In our PJs and sneakers, we hustled out to the blueberry barrens in Deblois, the closest place I could think of with an open view of the northern sky. Searching for a spot to pull off the road, it was clear that we were not the only ones who had this idea. We eventually found a vacant dirt drive and parked.

I could only see the faintest green tinges in the sky–just a hint. Yet, when we looked through our iPhones, color appeared. Using the night photography mode, we snapped these pictures using the car to stabilize the camera, fingers freezing in the cold. We’d had no time to plan for this adventure. 

We were captivated by the beauty of the northern lights. For 25 minutes, we were in a state of awe, capturing the fleeting colors as they intensified and then faded. Here are a few of the photographs we managed to snap in the midst of our wonder.

Experiencing the northern lights for the first time, right here in Downeast Maine, was a truly awe-inspiring and unforgettable moment. I’m filled with gratitude that I could share this magical experience with Hannah, who was willing to join me on this spontaneous adventure. 

Hannah gets the credit for these last two pics.